Zango and concept of development communication

By Abbas Yushau Yusuf

Every ardent listener of Freedom Radio Know the name Nasiru Salisu Zango, the presenter of the popular Magazine programme called Inda Ranka together with his co-presenter Hajiya Jamila Gezawa. The concept Development communication was propounded in the early 1960s by the press foundation of Asia, by then most Philippine papers were reporting Government issues, what did the Government do, what the president says, what projects a Governor executed.

The exponents of this School of thought ‘development communications’ realized that Journalists should not only be the Friends of powers that be, but what happens to the people at the grassroots – the hawker, the leper, the downtrodden, the less privileged in the society – , those that cannot afford three square meals per day and what have you. Mass Communications is about messages communicated to a large number of people through the mass medium, example, television, radio, newspapers, now the internet, social media and others. The impact of radio on people in Northern Nigeria cannot be over-emphasized as I know many individuals who are always glued to their Radios even on bed.

Journalists can make or mar the society in which they live as they are regarded as the Fourth estate of the realm after the Executive, legislature and the Judiciary. The mass media has an obligation as enshrined in Nigeria’s Constitution. The point I am trying to make here is that Journalists as Gezawa, this two Individuals are vigorously pursuing the right of the common man in the programme. propounded by the scholars of development communications asserts that they are the engine of change if they so desired and committed to their duties. Inda Ranka programme of Freedom Radio is presented by Nasiru Salisu Zango and Hajiya Jamila

One clear example was how some sharia court judges siphoned the hereditary rights of some orphans to the tune of 10 million Naira. Nasiru Zango did not allow sleeping dogs to lie as he made effort to expose the case of cornering the orphans’ money up to its logical conclusion. This has irked many people including those at the helm of affairs; a lot of people wept when they heard the case of those orphans on radio and the uncovering of the heartless nature of those Khadis that tried to consume the right of those orphans.

Apart from the reportage of the atrocities of those that are saddled with the responsibility of taking judicial decisions, Malam Nasiru Zango tends to air the demands of those in need, especially those who in ill health and cannot afford medical care. The moment their needs are heard good people immediately come to their help.

Abbas Yushau Yusuf can be reached at abyushau2@gmail.com